Sale Sharks have appointed former Wasps director of rugby Tony Hanks as the club's first team coach.

Hanks will be responsible for "attack, game plan and defence" at the Aviva Premiership side and will work alongside Sale's executive director of sport Steve Diamond. Diamond sees the Kiwi as the final part of his backroom jigsaw as Sale go into the 2011-12 season hoping to improve on their poor 2010-11 campaign.

"We are very pleased to announce Tony Hanks as our new First Team Coach at Sale Sharks," Diamond said. "Tony will work alongside Forwards Coach Steve Scott, Academy Transition Coach Pete Anglesea and Performance Manager Nigel Ashley-Jones. He will be responsible for attack, our game plan and our overall defensive strategy.

"Tony has worked with some of the best teams in the world and brings a level of experience and achievement that will be of immediate benefit to Sale Sharks. There was tremendous interest in this position and Tony has emerged ahead of several other high profile and experienced coaches. He is the final piece of the off-field jigsaw and we are delighted he has chosen to join us."

The New Zealander has had two spells at Wasps, once as director of rugby and once working underneath then director of rugby Warren Gatland as assistant coach. Hanks has also spent time as skills coach for Super Rugby side the Chiefs and as head coach of Waikato. Hanks was linked with the Cardiff post following Dai Young's departure, but he is delighted to be back in the Premiership with Sale saying: "I'm excited to be joining Sale Sharks, especially at a stage when there have been many changes. With so many players joining to form a much-changed team, it's a great time to be involved and I share the massive sense of anticipation at the club."

Sale have made wholesale changes ahead of the 2011-12 season with former Munster prop Tony Buckley, ex-Leeds Carnegie flanker Hendre Fourie and former Clermont Auvergne fly-half Tasesa Lavea just a few of the new faces at Edgeley Park.